The Pennock Log House Story
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History from William Penn to William Pennock:
In the year 1681 William Penn sold 1500 acres of land in Pennsylvania to Henry Maddock of Holm Hall in Cheshire and his brother-in-law, James Kennerly. They came out by 1682 and had approximately 1006 acres laid out for them on the east side of the Crum Creek in Springfield Township. They built a house by 1683, when it is shown on the Charles Ashcomb map. It seems quite possible that this may have been a log cabin, now incorporated in the larger home of Mrs. Samuel Symond (?), off of Walnut Lane, close to North Swarthmore Avenue and the present Baltimore Pike.
James Kennerly died in Pennsylvania and Henry Maddock returned to England. Both vested their interest in Henry’s son, Mordecai Maddock. Patent Book A, Vol. 1, pages 324 and 325 in the Rolls Office in Philadelphia says that on the 4th month 5, 1701, (or possibly it was 1702), Edward Shippen, Griffith Owen, Thomas Story and James Logan granted to Mordecai Maddock 521 acres, part of a tract of 1500 acres conveyed by William Penn to Henry Maddock and James Kennerly. This tract goes all the way to Morton Station, and we have since discovered that it also included the land where the Benjamin West House stands. The location of the new Target Store (the former location of the old Strawbridge & Clothier store) would also likely be part of this tract.
On the 15th of May, 1705, Mordecai Maddock sold part of this tract to Isaac Norris, including the section where the Pennock Log House would be built.
Isaac Norris owned this land when he died in 1753. He was the second largest owner of land in Pennsylvania, second only to Samuel Carpenter, who died in 1714. Isaac Norris left a widow and a large family of children. In the division of the estate, Isaac Norris, Jr. acquired the land where the log house would be built.
(NOTE: in the same division of his father’s estate, part of Chester Mills, including Caleb Pusey’s house also came to Isaac Norris, Jr. He sold the mill to John Pennell, Jr. in 1749, and John Pennell, Jr. sold the mill and messuage to Samuel Shaw and his brother Thomas in 1752.)
Isaac Norris, Jr. in 1743/4 sold 202 acres in Springfield to John Crosby. (records at West Chester). Of this, William Caldwell, butcher, of Springfield Township, bought 70 acres and 22 perches from John Crosby and his wife, Susanna.
William Caldwell died leaving certain debts and his two contiguous properties in Springfield were put up for sale. The best and highest bidder was Nathaniel Pennock of West Marlborough, who paid 270£ on or about August 31, 1756. (Deed Book K – page 544 at West Chester)
On November 28, 1755, John Morton, Esq. attempted to sell goods, chattels and the tenements of Job Dick, “yeoman of my bailiwick”. Job Dick owed 401£ to Reese Meredith. So Job Dick’s two plantations were seized to pay this debt, in all about 190 acres in Springfield Township. Apparently Nathaniel Pennock bought this land, although not until November 16, 1765, for 571£.
© 2015 The Friends of the Caleb Pusey House, Inc
.
History from William Penn to William Pennock:
In the year 1681 William Penn sold 1500 acres of land in Pennsylvania to Henry Maddock of Holm Hall in Cheshire and his brother-in-law, James Kennerly. They came out by 1682 and had approximately 1006 acres laid out for them on the east side of the Crum Creek in Springfield Township. They built a house by 1683, when it is shown on the Charles Ashcomb map. It seems quite possible that this may have been a log cabin, now incorporated in the larger home of Mrs. Samuel Symond (?), off of Walnut Lane, close to North Swarthmore Avenue and the present Baltimore Pike.
James Kennerly died in Pennsylvania and Henry Maddock returned to England. Both vested their interest in Henry’s son, Mordecai Maddock. Patent Book A, Vol. 1, pages 324 and 325 in the Rolls Office in Philadelphia says that on the 4th month 5, 1701, (or possibly it was 1702), Edward Shippen, Griffith Owen, Thomas Story and James Logan granted to Mordecai Maddock 521 acres, part of a tract of 1500 acres conveyed by William Penn to Henry Maddock and James Kennerly. This tract goes all the way to Morton Station, and we have since discovered that it also included the land where the Benjamin West House stands. The location of the new Target Store (the former location of the old Strawbridge & Clothier store) would also likely be part of this tract.
On the 15th of May, 1705, Mordecai Maddock sold part of this tract to Isaac Norris, including the section where the Pennock Log House would be built.
Isaac Norris owned this land when he died in 1753. He was the second largest owner of land in Pennsylvania, second only to Samuel Carpenter, who died in 1714. Isaac Norris left a widow and a large family of children. In the division of the estate, Isaac Norris, Jr. acquired the land where the log house would be built.
(NOTE: in the same division of his father’s estate, part of Chester Mills, including Caleb Pusey’s house also came to Isaac Norris, Jr. He sold the mill to John Pennell, Jr. in 1749, and John Pennell, Jr. sold the mill and messuage to Samuel Shaw and his brother Thomas in 1752.)
Isaac Norris, Jr. in 1743/4 sold 202 acres in Springfield to John Crosby. (records at West Chester). Of this, William Caldwell, butcher, of Springfield Township, bought 70 acres and 22 perches from John Crosby and his wife, Susanna.
William Caldwell died leaving certain debts and his two contiguous properties in Springfield were put up for sale. The best and highest bidder was Nathaniel Pennock of West Marlborough, who paid 270£ on or about August 31, 1756. (Deed Book K – page 544 at West Chester)
On November 28, 1755, John Morton, Esq. attempted to sell goods, chattels and the tenements of Job Dick, “yeoman of my bailiwick”. Job Dick owed 401£ to Reese Meredith. So Job Dick’s two plantations were seized to pay this debt, in all about 190 acres in Springfield Township. Apparently Nathaniel Pennock bought this land, although not until November 16, 1765, for 571£.
© 2015 The Friends of the Caleb Pusey House, Inc